The present invention generally relates to a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder. More specifically, the present invention relates to a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder which may provide a compartment to detect a first position and/or a second position of a machine element within a compartment. A light source may be located within and/or may be adjacent to an interior of the compartment for transmitting light into the interior of the compartment. A light detector may measure, may detect and/or may identify an intensity of the light within the interior of the compartment which may not have been absorbed, may have been diffused and/or may have been attenuated by a surface of the compartment and/or of the machine element to determine the first position and/or the second position of the machine element. In an embodiment, a switch may be connected to the compartment at the first position and/or at the second position of the machine element within the compartment. The switch may be activated by and/or may be deactivated by the machine element to identify that the machine element is located at the first position and/or the second position within the interior of the compartment.
A microprocessor may be in communication with the light detector and/or the switch to determine, to detect and/or to identify that the machine element is located at the first position and/or at the second position within the interior of the compartment. The microprocessor may transmit a signal to a transducer which may be connected to one or more valves of the programmable cylinder. The transducer may open and/or may close one or more valves connected to the programmable cylinder to increase and/or to decrease an amount of compressed fluid within the interior of the compartment. With the machine element at the first position and/or at the second position, the microprocessor may increase and/or may decrease an electrical current of the transducer for opening and/or for closing one or more valves of the programmable cylinder. As a result, the microprocessor, the transducer and/or the valves may decelerate and/or may accelerate movement of the machine element within the interior of the compartment via the compressed fluid. A terminal and/or a graphic user interface may be connected to the microprocessor for accessing, for operating and/or for controlling the microprocessor and/or the transducer to open and/or to close one or more valves of the programmable cylinder. As a result, a user may decelerate and/or may accelerate the movement of the machine element within the interior of the compartment at the first position and/or at the second position of the machine element.
It is, of course, generally known to provide a cylinder having a machine element within an interior of the cylinder. The machine element moves within the interior of the cylinder from a first end of the cylinder to a second end of the cylinder. Traditionally, a switch may be connected to the first end and to the second end of the cylinder to detect and/or to determine that the machine element is adjacent to the first end or to the second end of the cylinder. The machine element must physically abut or must physically contact the switch to mechanically activate and/or to mechanically deactivate the switch to identify that the machine element is adjacent to the first end or to the second end of the cylinder.
A control box is connected to the switch at the first end and at the second end of the cylinder to determine that the machine element is adjacent to the first end or to the second end of the cylinder. The control box may determine a velocity of movement of the machine element within the interior of the cylinder which corresponds to an amount of time which elapses for the machine element to move from the first end to the second end of the cylinder. The control box may transmit a signal to a solenoid switch for increasing and/or for decreasing the velocity of movement of the machine element within the cylinder. As a result, the control box may increase or may decrease the amount of time which elapses for the machine element to move from the first end to the second end of the cylinder. The control box and/or the solenoid switch may only determine to decrease or to increase the velocity of movement of the machine element via the machine element activation and/or deactivation of the switch at the first end or at the second end of the cylinder. As a result, the control box only increases or only decreases the velocity of movement of the machine element when the machine element is adjacent to the first end and/or to the second end of the cylinder.
The control box is incapable of determining whether to increase and/or to decrease the velocity of movement of the machine element at one or more positions between the first end and the second end of the cylinder. As a result, the velocity of movement of the machine element may not be increased and/or may not be decreased at one or more positions between the first end and the second end of the cylinder. Moreover, the physical contact of the machine element and the switches at the first end and/or the second end of the cylinder may damage and/or may destroy the machine element within the interior of the compartment. Damage to and/or destruction of the machine element may prevent the machine element from moving between the first end and the second end of the cylinder. As a result, the cylinder may be inoperable from the damage and/or from the destruction of the machine element which may be caused by the physical contact with the switch at the first end and/or at the second end of the cylinder.
A need, therefore, exists for a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder. Additionally, a need exists for a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder which may not damage and/or may not destroy a machine element within an interior of a programmable cylinder. Further, a need exists for a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder which may detect one or more positions of a machine element within an interior of a programmable cylinder between a first end and a second end of the programmable cylinder.
Still further, a need exists for a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder which may detect a position of a machine element within an interior of a programmable cylinder without physically contacting the machine element. Moreover, a need exists for a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder which may accelerate and/or may decelerate a machine element at one or more positions between a first end and a second end of a programmable cylinder. Furthermore, a need exists for a programmable cylinder, a system and a method for changing a velocity of a machine element within a cylinder which may open and/or may close valves connected to a programmable cylinder to accelerate and/or to decelerate a machine element at one or more positions between a first end and a second end of the programmable cylinder.